Coin-operated typewriter



July 29, 1952 G. D. CUCKLER COIN-OPERATED 'I YPEWRITER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1949 Inventor Gordon D. Cuck/er G. D. CUCKLER COIN-OPERATED TYPEWRITER July 29, 1952 Filed Feb. 8, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

Inventor /20 Gordon 0. Guc/r/er y 29, 1952 e. D. CUCKLER 2,604,969

COIN-OPERATED TYPEWRITER Filed Feb. 8. 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Gordon 0. Cuck/er by f m Patented July 29, 1952 Gordon D. Cuckler,

fifty per cent to Calif.

Oakland, Calif., assignor 01' Earl L. Campbell, Oakland,

Application February 8, 1949, Serial No. 75,174

This invention relates to a coin operated typewriter control apparatus and has for its primary object to provide means for normally locking the line control bar of a typewriter so as to render the typewriter inoperative, the locking meansbeing released by the insertion of a coin in a slot and .a clock works being provided for actuating the locking means after a predetermined length of time.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a coin controlled locking apparatus for a standard typewriter, so that the typewriter may be only used for a predetermined period of time by the insertion of a coin in a coin receiving mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide locking means for a manually operated machine, sothat the same is normally sustained inoperative, a coin control mechanism being provided for releasing the locking means upon the insertion of a coin therein and a timing device being rendered operative upon the insertion of the coin for controlling the operation of the locking means, so that the machine can be used for a given period of time.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coin operated typewriter control apparatus that is durably and accurately constructed so that the same will only operate upon the insertion of a coin and will be efiicient in limiting the time operating period of the typewriter, the typewriter control apparatus being inexpensively constructed and easily installed in association with any conventional standard typewriter or other manually operated machine.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit are attained by this invention, a

' preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a standard typewriter mounted upon a supporting-table and having associated therewith a coin operated control apparatus, constructed in accordance with the principles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the control apparatus, illustrating the same in a position prior to the insertion of a coin and the operation of the coin receiving mechanism; Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view, illustrating the coin receiving mechanism and parts associated therewith;

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the locking means associated with the line locking mechanism of a standard typewriter and the re- 6 Claims. (01. 197-493) 2 lease means provided therefor, the latter being shown in an inoperative position; a Figure 5 is a detail elevational view, illustrating the release means in operation for releasing the locking means from engagement with theline locking mechanism of the typewriter;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the control apparatus, and,

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the locking member carried by the line locking mechanism for adapting the same for locking. association with the locking means provided by the instant I invention. 1

Referring now to the-drawings, particularly to Figure 1, it is to be noted that a standard conventional typewriter IE1 is securely mounted'upon a supporting table I2, the base of the typewriter being preferably retained within an opening formed in the top of the table. A control apparatus, generally designated by the character reference id, is operatively housed within the upper portion of the table below the table top and is mounted on a shelf or bottom wall It carried by the lower edges of the side and end walls.

As seen in Figures 2 and 6, the control apparatus includes a coin receiving mechanism 18, which is conventionally constructed and includes a guide-way 20 extending through the side wall 22 and secured thereon by means of an attaching plate 24. A coin receiving chute or reciprocating member 26 is carried by the guide-Way 20 and an arm 28 is transversely secured to the inner terminal thereof. The'arm is formed with an unattached ofiset end 30 to which is pivotally secured a bar 32 having an elongated longitudinal slot 34 formed therein. A crank 36 is pivoted on a bracket 38, the latter being securely mounted on the upper face of the shelf 1 6. A guide pin 40 is carried by one of the ends of the crank and is slidably disposed within the slot 34 formed in the bar 32. An elongated actuating bar 42 is pivotally attached to the other end of the crank by means of a pivot pin 44 and is provided at its opposing end with an elongated slot 46. An arm 48 is provided at one end with a guide pin 58 slidably disposed in the slot 45. The arm 48 is formed with anoffset end 52 which is rigidly secured to the main shaft 54 of a standard and conventional clock mechanism 56. Of course, the clock mechanism is driven by a spring, having one end secured to the shaft 54, so that rotation of the shaft 56 will wind the spring a predetermined amount, whereby the clock mechanism will be driven for a, predetermined period of time. A spring Biiis secured to a bracket 58 mounted on the shelf and to the crank 36. so that the spring functions to return the coin receiving mechanism and clock winding mechanism to its normal position, upon release of the reciprocating member 20 after insertion of a coin therein.

Locking means 62 is provided for normally retaining the typewriter inoperative and is preferably adapted for engagement with a locking member 64 carried by a standard line lock arm 66. Of course, the locking means may be positioned and formed so as to be engageable With a conventional typewriter control bar or any of the other working and necessary parts oi a typewriter, for sustaining the parts in a locked inoperative position, so that the typewriter cannot be used.

As seen in Figures 6 and 7, the locking member 64 includes a lateral section 68 having a center opening I0, the lateral section 68 extending from a body section I2. The body section I2 is adapted to be positioned on the line lock arm and secured thereon by means of opposing strap ends I4 and I6. The locking means 64 is carried by an angle member or bracket I8 which is mounted to an upper portion of shelf I6. The locking means includes a bell crank 80 pivoted as at 64 to the upper end of the bracket I8 and having an elongated locking finger 86 disposed on the opposing end, the locking finger being adapted for insertion within the opening 10 for preventing movement of the line lock arm.

A bar or member 88 is pivoted at its upper end by means of a pivot pin 90 to the crank 80 and is pivotally attached adjacent its lower end as at 92 to a fulcral member 94. The bar 88 is formed at its lower extremity with a recessed side 96. The fulcral member 54 is pivoted at its lower end as at 98 to the bracket I8 and a pin I is disposed at its upper end. The pin I00 or set screw sustains one end of a spring I02, the opposing end of the spring being secured as at I04 to the locking finger of the crank 80.

Means is provided for operating the foregoing and is actuated by the clock winding mechanism, upon return thereof to a normal position by means of the spring 60. The means include an arm I08 which is pivoted as at IIO to the shelf I6, the arm being formed with offset raised ends H2 and I I4. A stop pin II6 extends upwardly from the shelf IE to limit the swinging movement of the arm. The offset end H4 is engaged by a depending lug or pin I I8 carried by the crank 36. The end H2 is pivoted as at I20 to an elongated actuating bar I22, which is pivoted at its opposing end as at I24 to a crank I26. The. crank I26 is pivoted as at I28 and is formed with an unattached free end I30. A striker bar or member I32 is pivoted centrally as at I34 to the shelf and the upper end I36 is oiiset from the vertical plane of the bar and terminates in alignment with the i'ulcral member 94.

A spring I38 is secured to the upper end of the striker bar and is provided for moving the same back to an inoperative position, as will be later described. Likewise, a spring I40 is secured to the arm I22 and to a bracket I42 carried by the shell. A disk I44 is secured as by a locking nut I46 to the upper end of the main shaft 540i the clockmechanism and is provided with an offset cam extension I48, the latter being adapted for engagement with the lower extremity of the bar 88 for moving the locking end 86 of the crank into locking engagement with the locking member carried by the line lock arm.

In operation, a coin is inserted in the coin chute and the reciprocating member is pushed all the way in, moving the arm 28 inwardly and thereby carrying the bar 32 inwardly. As the bar 32 moves inwardly, the bell crank 36 is rotated about its pivot and the bar 42 is pulled forwardly, rotating the shaft 54 and winding the spring for driving the clock works. It is to be noted that when the bell crank is moved about its pivot point upon the inward movement of the reciprocating member 26 of the coin receiving mechanism, the pin IIB by-passes the extending end N4 of the arm I08. Upon return of the clock winding mechanism and coin receiving mechanism to its normal position by the spring 60, the pin [I8 abuts against the end H4 and moves the arm I08 about its pivot H0. Movement of the arm about its pivot I I0 pulls the bar I22 forwardly and through the rotation of the crank I26 forces the upper end of the striker bar I32 against the fulcral member 94. As the fulcral member moves inwardly and forces the member 88 outwardly, the crank is moved about its pivot 84 and the upper end 86 is moved downwardly out of engagement with the locking member 68.

The typewriter is thus rendered operative for a predetermined period of time, during which time the clock works continues to run and when the spring is unwound, the cam disk is moved around into engagement with the lower end of the member 88 and forces the member 88 inwardly and correspondingly moves the locking end 36 of the crank up into engagement with the locking member carried by the line lock arm.

Thus, it can be seen that a dependable, sturdy and efficient coin control apparatus has been provided for attachment to any type of manually operated machine, such as a tabulating machine, typewriter or the like, thereby enabling the same to be publicly employed and used by inserting a coin within the coin receiving mechanism.

However, while one embodiment of this invention has been shown, it is to be understood that certain other embodiments can be carried out, as coming within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. In a control for a typewriter having a line locking member, locking means for said member operative into locking and releasing positions, respectively, a spring windup motor, means operative by said motor to operate said locking means into locking position, windup means for said spring motor operative into and from normal position, means for operating said windup means from normal position, and means positively operated by said windup means when operated into normal position for operating said locking means to releasing position.

2. In a control for a typewriter having a line locking member, locking means for said member operative into locking and releasing positions, respectively, a windup spring motor, a manipulative slide, spring windup means for said motor operative by said slide from a normal position and including a pivoted crank springtensioned for return to normal position, and means for operating said locking means into releasing position operative by return of said crank to normal position.

3. A control according to claim 2 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a pivoted ar and a member on said crank for engaging said invention, what is arm and wiping past said arm upon operation 01 said last means from normal position.

4. A control according to claim 2 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a pivoted arm, a pin on said crank for engaging and operating said arm, a fulcrum member, a pivoted striker for operating said fulcrum member, and operating connections between said arm and striker.

5. In a control for a typewriter having a line locking member, locking means for said member including a pivoted crank operative into locking and releasing positions, respectively, means to operate said crank into locking position, and means to operate said crank into releasing position comprising a fulcrum member operatively connected to said crank, a pivoted striker for operating said fulcrum member, a manipulative slide, a second crank operative from normal position upon operation of said slide and spring tensioned for return to normal position, a pivoted arm operative by return of said second crank to normal position, and operating connections between said arm and striker.

6. In a control for a typewriter having a line locking member, locking means for said member operative into locking and releasing positions,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 923,143 Colwell, Jr June 1, 1909 1,089,015 Schott Mar. 3, 1914 r 1,197,757 Mulhall Sept. 12, 1916 2,325,244 Graham July 27, 1943 2,471,617 Graham May 31, 1949 

